MARLINS PREVIEW
February 3rd 2009 22:19
CATCHER: This has been a very unstable position for the Marlins the last few seasons. In 2003 they were counting on Ramon Castro to be the future, but he was plagued by injuries the entire time and couldn’t get through a full season. Last season they used five catchers and they combined to hit .251 with only nine home runs and 65 RBIs. This season they are turning to John Baker and Mike Rabelo to compete for the position. They have combined to only play in 147 major league games so the team is relying on youth to manage the pitching staff. Baker has a career .299 batting average and had five of the team’s nine home runs last season. He is the front runner for the position going into spring training, but still needs to improve throwing out base runners. He only threw out just over 16 percent a year ago.
FIRST BASE: This offseason Mike Jacobs was traded to the Royals so rookie Gaby Sanchez would take over the position. He has only eight career major league at-bats and hasn’t played past Double-A so there will be questions on how he will do on the highest level. Wes Helms and Dallas McPherson will be backing up Sanchez so at least they have two veterans if Sanchez struggles in spring training or early in the season.
SECOND BASE: Dan Uggla begins his fourth major league season and has been a stable component to the Marlins’ lineup. He has played in over 145 games in each of the three seasons, batting .262 with 90 home runs, 270 RBIs and 315 runs scored. He is only 28-years-old and has already made the All-Star team twice in his career. He has become one of the best second basemen in the National League.
THIRD BASE: Jorge Cantu has resurrected his career after almost retiring from baseball a year ago. After only playing in 52 games in 2007, Cantu hit .277 with 29 home runs and 95 RBIs. He quickly made Marlins’ fans forget about Miguel Cabrera. Most of his 2008 statistics were career highs so don’t expect the same numbers from Cantu. He has never had two straight good seasons. He struggled in 2006 to match his great 2005 totals, and only was able to put up half of his statistics from 2005. Wes Helms and Dallas McPherson will be backing up Cantu if this occurs again.
SHORTSTOP: Hanley Ramirez is the best all-around offensive player in the National League. He has the ability to be a five-tool player, and the only area he lacks in is his defensive abilities. He has a .308 career average with 79 home runs and 207 RBIs in three full seasons. His stolen bases were down in 2008, totaling only 35 after he had 51 in each of the previous two seasons. Ramirez is the leader of this team and needs to continue putting up similar statistics if this team is going to make a push for the playoffs.
OUTFIELD: After playing most of last season in Double-A, Cameron Maybin will get his opportunity to take over the center field position. Maybin is one of the Marlins’ top prospects after being acquired from the Tigers in the Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis trade. He batted .298 with 171 RBIs and 73 stolen bases in three minor league seasons so he will add speed to the top of the lineup. Jeremy Hermida and Cody Ross are expected to be on the left and right of Maybin when the season starts in April. Hermida had a difficult 2008 season as he only hit .249 with 17 home runs and 61 RBIs. It was even worse at home where he batted a dreadful .203. Ross gets the nod in right after the team traded Josh Willingham and did not re-sign Luis Gonzalez. Ross was the centerfielder last season and hit .260 in 145 games. This was his first season as a regular in the Marlins lineup and proved he could play in that role. This outfield lacks power but will have to make up for it in other areas.
STARTERS: The Marlins are expected to start the season with one of the youngest rotations in the league. It will consist of Ricky Nolasco, Josh Johnson, Chris Volstad, Anibal Sanchez and Andrew Miller. Dan Meyer is also expected to compete for the fifth spot in the rotation. The average age of this rotation will be just be over 24 years when the season starts if these are the five in Fredi Gonzalez’s rotation. Nolasco will be the team’s ace after posting a 15-8 record with a 3.52 ERA. He also recorded 186 strikeouts. Johnson is expected to be the No. 2 starter after going 7-1 with a 3.61 ERA in 14 starts last season after returning from Tommy John surgery.
BULLPEN: Matt Lidstrom will take over the closer’s role after they traded Kevin Gregg. He only had six save opportunities last season but managed to save five of those. At 6’4” he is looks intimating on the mound but isn’t a hard-throwing pitcher. He only recorded 43 strikeouts in just over 57 innings last season. This is only his second season in the big leagues so the team plans to throw him in the fire and see what he is capable of doing. Leo Nunez is expected to be the setup man. He was acquired from the Royals in the Mike Jacobs trade.
OUTLOOK: After looking at this depth chart it’s hard to think this team will compete in the NL East this season, but somehow they always manage to be a tough team to defeat. Just ask the Mets the last two seasons when the Marlins came into Shea Stadium in the final weekend and eliminated them from playoff contention. Hanley Ramirez is confident in this team but it is hard to be with questions at catcher, first base, third base, outfield and the pitching rotation. This is a very young team full of inexperience so this team will be lucky to win 80 games this season.
FIRST BASE: This offseason Mike Jacobs was traded to the Royals so rookie Gaby Sanchez would take over the position. He has only eight career major league at-bats and hasn’t played past Double-A so there will be questions on how he will do on the highest level. Wes Helms and Dallas McPherson will be backing up Sanchez so at least they have two veterans if Sanchez struggles in spring training or early in the season.
SECOND BASE: Dan Uggla begins his fourth major league season and has been a stable component to the Marlins’ lineup. He has played in over 145 games in each of the three seasons, batting .262 with 90 home runs, 270 RBIs and 315 runs scored. He is only 28-years-old and has already made the All-Star team twice in his career. He has become one of the best second basemen in the National League.
THIRD BASE: Jorge Cantu has resurrected his career after almost retiring from baseball a year ago. After only playing in 52 games in 2007, Cantu hit .277 with 29 home runs and 95 RBIs. He quickly made Marlins’ fans forget about Miguel Cabrera. Most of his 2008 statistics were career highs so don’t expect the same numbers from Cantu. He has never had two straight good seasons. He struggled in 2006 to match his great 2005 totals, and only was able to put up half of his statistics from 2005. Wes Helms and Dallas McPherson will be backing up Cantu if this occurs again.
SHORTSTOP: Hanley Ramirez is the best all-around offensive player in the National League. He has the ability to be a five-tool player, and the only area he lacks in is his defensive abilities. He has a .308 career average with 79 home runs and 207 RBIs in three full seasons. His stolen bases were down in 2008, totaling only 35 after he had 51 in each of the previous two seasons. Ramirez is the leader of this team and needs to continue putting up similar statistics if this team is going to make a push for the playoffs.
OUTFIELD: After playing most of last season in Double-A, Cameron Maybin will get his opportunity to take over the center field position. Maybin is one of the Marlins’ top prospects after being acquired from the Tigers in the Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis trade. He batted .298 with 171 RBIs and 73 stolen bases in three minor league seasons so he will add speed to the top of the lineup. Jeremy Hermida and Cody Ross are expected to be on the left and right of Maybin when the season starts in April. Hermida had a difficult 2008 season as he only hit .249 with 17 home runs and 61 RBIs. It was even worse at home where he batted a dreadful .203. Ross gets the nod in right after the team traded Josh Willingham and did not re-sign Luis Gonzalez. Ross was the centerfielder last season and hit .260 in 145 games. This was his first season as a regular in the Marlins lineup and proved he could play in that role. This outfield lacks power but will have to make up for it in other areas.
STARTERS: The Marlins are expected to start the season with one of the youngest rotations in the league. It will consist of Ricky Nolasco, Josh Johnson, Chris Volstad, Anibal Sanchez and Andrew Miller. Dan Meyer is also expected to compete for the fifth spot in the rotation. The average age of this rotation will be just be over 24 years when the season starts if these are the five in Fredi Gonzalez’s rotation. Nolasco will be the team’s ace after posting a 15-8 record with a 3.52 ERA. He also recorded 186 strikeouts. Johnson is expected to be the No. 2 starter after going 7-1 with a 3.61 ERA in 14 starts last season after returning from Tommy John surgery.
BULLPEN: Matt Lidstrom will take over the closer’s role after they traded Kevin Gregg. He only had six save opportunities last season but managed to save five of those. At 6’4” he is looks intimating on the mound but isn’t a hard-throwing pitcher. He only recorded 43 strikeouts in just over 57 innings last season. This is only his second season in the big leagues so the team plans to throw him in the fire and see what he is capable of doing. Leo Nunez is expected to be the setup man. He was acquired from the Royals in the Mike Jacobs trade.
OUTLOOK: After looking at this depth chart it’s hard to think this team will compete in the NL East this season, but somehow they always manage to be a tough team to defeat. Just ask the Mets the last two seasons when the Marlins came into Shea Stadium in the final weekend and eliminated them from playoff contention. Hanley Ramirez is confident in this team but it is hard to be with questions at catcher, first base, third base, outfield and the pitching rotation. This is a very young team full of inexperience so this team will be lucky to win 80 games this season.
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